Summer Reading for Kids on the Point

Today on The Point, Book Show Edition, Mindy Todd and Jill Erickson, Head of Reference and Adult Services, were joined by Mary E. Cronin to talk about great summer reads for kids. The phones were not working this morning, so feel free to leave us a comment with your suggestions!

Mindy’s Pick

Time for Bed by Mem Fox

Jill’s Picks

Lumberjanes: beware the kitten holy by Noelle Stevenson and Grace Ellis

The View from the Cheap Seats: selected nonfiction by Neil Gaiman. Essay from collection: “What the [Very Bad Swearword] is a Children’s Book, Anyway?”

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon

Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk

How to Get Your Child to Love Reading by Esme Raji Codell

The Penderwicks: a summer tale of four sisters, two rabbits, and a very interesting boy by Jeanne Birdsall (the 1^st of what is now 4 books about the family)

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Ice Cream Summer by Peter Sis

Beach House by Deanna Caswell, illustrated by Amy June Bates

The Most Amazing Creature in the Sea by Brenda Z. Guiberson, illustrated by Gennady Spirin

Firefly July selected by Paul Bl. Janeczko, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is challenging all residents of Massachusetts to read four books this summer – and to share their experience with others. Join the conversation and tell them, #WhatsYourFour?

Laura Ford’s blog about summer reading can be found here.

 

Mary’s Picks

Picture Books

• SURF’S UP by Kwame Alexander
• FRED STAYS WITH ME by Nancy Coffelt… divorce/separation story
• LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET by Matt de la Peña.
• WHEN GREEN BECOMES TOMATOES (Poems for All Seasons) by Julie Fogliano.
• Deborah Ruddell, TODAY AT THE BLUEBIRD CAFÉ (Cardinal poem)
• THIS DAY IN JUNE, Gayle Pittman (Gay Pride)
• POEM RUNS by Douglas Florian. Great baseball poems!

Middle Grades

• DRAMA by Raina Telgemeier… (graphic novel, theater kids)
• Donna Gephardt’s LILY AND DUNKIN…transgender character, “outsiders”
• Varian Johnson THE GREAT GREENE HEIST and TO CATCH A CHEAT… main character is Jackson Greene (a smooth operator), a middle school caper reminiscent of Oceans 11 to save the school election from being stolen by the wrong kid.
• PAX by Sara Pennypacker… an animal story… a boy main character…. Local author.
• DISTANCE TO HOME, Jenn Barnes… baseball, girl athlete main character, will appeal to fans of CC Baseball League
• Kekla Magoon’s CAMO GIRL…. Ella is in middle school, is biracial (a black parent and a white parent) and has uneven skin tone, earning her the nickname Camo Girl. A story about about popularity, loyalty, friendship, middle school.
• Lynda Mullaly Hunt’s FISH IN A TREE… a girl battles with reading difficulties, adopting a trouble-making personality as a smoke screen
• ONE CRAZY SUMMER by Rita Williams-Garcia…Three African American sisters go to visit the mother who left them, in 1968 Oakland, California…. The beginning of a trilogy.

Young Adult

• Ellen Wittlinger, LOCAL GIRL SWEPT AWAY, a juicy Provincetown story… a story of 4 friends, one of whom gets swept away in stormy weather…. And a mystery unravels.
• A. Barson’s CHARLOTTE CUTS IT OUT… two girls who are juniors in a cosmetology arts program enter a competition, and Charlotte makes a bet with her mother, who wants her to give up cosmetology for college.
• SIMON VS. THE HOMOSAPIENS AGENDA by Becky Albertalli… Simon struggles to come out to himself and his wonderfully quirky family, approaching a new romance and unraveling the mystery behind some secret messages.

Reading without walls challenge can be found here.

Listener Suggestion

“Regarding books for children, have you talked about Garth Nix’s trilogy –Abhorsen?  The books, Sabriel, Lariel and Abhorsen, go from wonderful to more fabulous, and create a world that I loved to be in.  I read it as an adult, but also have given it to older adults.”